


The Hallmark Job

by benjaminrussell



Category: Leverage
Genre: Aliases, Christmas Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28358001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benjaminrussell/pseuds/benjaminrussell
Summary: Eliot, Parker, and Hardison decorate the brewpub for Christmas while Hardison tells the other two about the latest aliases he's made for them. Aliases with a backstory that may be heavily inspired by the romantic holiday films he's been watching.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27
Collections: 2020 Leverage Secret Santa Exchange





	The Hallmark Job

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BiP](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiP/gifts).



> Thanks to Ez for beta reading!
> 
> This was partially inspired by the idea of ot3tropetober, but with a Christmassy spin. BiP, I hope you enjoy it!

“You wanna hear about the aliases I made today?” Hardison asked as he entered the main room of the brewpub where Eliot and Parker were surrounded by boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations.

“Do we have a choice?” Eliot grumbled, but Hardison paid him no mind, knowing it was all for show. Eliot wouldn’t admit it, but Hardison was confident that he enjoyed the elaborate backstories Hardison created for their aliases just as much as Parker did.

“I may have been inspired by the Hallmark channel playing nothing but Christmas movies, so brace yourselves for cheesy.”

“Yay Christmas!” Parker piped up, emerging covered in tinsel from where she’d been delving into one of the larger boxes.

Hardison hopped onto the end of one of the tables and turned his tablet around to show the other two the photos on screen. “Meet Maiya Thompkins, Ruairi McCabe, and Theodore Howard.”

The photos showed Parker, Eliot, and Hardison respectively, all dressed to the nines and looking like they’d just come off the red carpet.

“They recently finished filming a big budget superhero film together during which they all bonded and became good friends, but they’ve now all moved on to their next projects. Maiya and Theo are both still in LA and hanging out regularly, but Ruairi’s off filming a new TV show in the Philippines. They all video call when they can, but it’s a stark difference from spending all day every day with each other.”

_Maiya returned from the kitchen with a glass of wine in each hand, knowing she needed alcohol if she was going to listen to Theo going on about how amazing Ruairi was and how much he missed him for the millionth time, as well as hearing him repeat anecdotes that Ruairi had told them both in the same video call. She made sure she never came across as anything other than a supportive friend, but it got difficult sometimes when she was slowly realising her own feelings for both men even if she didn’t plan on ever doing anything about it. She handed Theo a glass wordlessly because he was still talking as if he hadn’t even stopped while she was getting their drinks._

_“Why didn’t I say something before he left?” Theo bemoaned, throwing a hand across his face. Thankfully, he’d set the wineglass down first otherwise there would likely have been a rather difficult to deal with stain on the sofa._

_“Because you didn’t want to chance ruining your friendship if he didn’t feel the same way back,” Maiya reminded him. “Which I still maintain is bullshit because I’ve seen the way you look at each other.”_

_“If he liked me, surely he would have said something?”_

_Maiya stared at Theo, despairing when she saw that he was being serious. Surely, he couldn’t be that dense?_

_“Uh, maybe he didn’t say anything for the same reason you reason you didn’t?”_

_Theo blinked at her, taking a moment to process her words, before dropping his head into his hands. “This is a disaster. I’m a disaster. How am I going to play happily in love when this is the state of my own love life?”_

_“Because you’re a good actor.” Maiya took a big gulp of wine, resigning herself to a long evening._

“If you carry on these halls won’t be the only thing getting decked.” Eliot interrupted, scowling at Hardison in a clear attempt to hide the fact he was blushing at the idea of “Theo” pining over him. He threw a reel of fairy lights at Hardison, who had to scramble to catch it without dropping his tablet.

“Not cool, man, not cool.” Hardison tried to shoot him a disapproving look, but he was enjoying himself so much that he didn’t think it would be especially believable. Also, Eliot knew him as well as Hardison knew Eliot so was likely to see straight through any pretence.

“Well start helping us decorate before I throw anything else then. We’ve got a lot to do if we want it done by the time the staff arrive,” Eliot shot back, hiding his face by digging in the box behind him for more decorations.

Hardison winked at Parker who was watching the exchange gleefully, before propping his tablet up so he could keep reading whilst untangling the fairy lights.

“Don’t worry Eliot, you’re in this next bit.”

_A few days later, it was Christmas Eve and while the city was decked out for the holiday season, the mood inside Theo’s flat was distinctly less than festive. He and Maiya were helping each other run lines, but in between scenes he kept complaining how it didn’t feel like Christmas without Ruairi there with them. Maiya hid a grin behind her script when the doorbell rang, although it became apparent hiding was unnecessary as Theo was staring at the door in confusion._

_“Aren’t you going to answer it?” She prodded his shoulder when he didn’t immediately start towards the door. That was apparently the push he needed though, spurring him into movement. Theo padded into the hallway, and then there was a beat of silence while he presumably looked through the peephole, before he yanked the door open and exclaimed loudly, “Ruairi?! What are you doing here? I thought you were in Cebu?”_

_Maiya smiled happily to herself and sank onto the sofa silently, script in hand still in case she needed a pretence that she wasn’t just listening in to her friends’ conversation._

_“A friend helped me realise what was more important.” Ruairi’s response was quieter, but even from the next room Maiya could hear the sincerity in his tone. Also, she knew what he meant by the comment, but didn’t blame him for not including the full truth in his confession. Telling Theo that Maiya had recorded him the last time he’d been pining over Ruairi and then sent that video to Ruairi with the message, ‘one of you has to make a move’ would probably detract from a romantic declaration._

_“I’m sorry it took me so long to admit my feelings for you, but I’m here now and hoping it isn’t too late.”_

_Maiya couldn’t see their expressions, but Theo’s silence was telling. He was probably struggling to believe his wildest dreams were coming true and was lost for words for once in his life._

_“Theo, I love you. And if I’m not mistaken, you feel the same. So please can I kiss you?” Ruairi’s voice was as steady as always, but the adoration was evident._

_“I love you too!” Theo finally found his voice again, and then there was the unmistakeable sound of kissing, so Maiya punched the air and only just managed to stop herself cheering. That would surely spoil the moment._

_A few minutes later, the boys made it to the living room, both looking like they were floating on air._

_“Ruairi, good to see you!” Maiya pretended that she hadn’t heard their entire conversation and jumped to her feet so she could cross the room to give him a tight hug. “I’m so glad you were able to make it back for Christmas.”_

_Then she pulled back and looked between the two of them, smile widening as if she’d just put two and two together._

_“Congratulations. I think we’re just about done here, so I’ll leave you two alone. Just make sure you come and see me before you fly back out so we can catch up!” She pressed a light kiss to Ruairi’s cheek, then turned to give Theo a hug too, whispering in his ear as she did so. “See? I told you there was nothing to worry about.”_

_“Maiya.” Ruairi’s tone stopped her in her tracks before she could leave the room, slowly turning to face the two men. “Don’t go.”_

_“Stay. We want you with us.” Theo added, and suddenly she realised that he was giving her the same look that he always had when talking about Ruairi._

_“You mean…” She looked between the two of them, barely allowing herself to hope._

_Ruairi nodded and pulled her into another hug as Theo wrapped his arms around both of them from behind her. Theo’s breath tickled against her neck as he spoke softly. “We love you too.”_

_Then Ruairi was kissing her, and she only broke away an unknown amount of time later so she could kiss Theo too._

_It was the best Christmas present ever._

“Then they went to bed together, and woke up together, and spent Christmas Day together, before living happily ever after. The end.” Hardison locked his tablet and turned towards the other two, stopping sorting baubles for the moment so he could see their reactions.

“How’s any of that gonna be useful on a job?” Eliot asked dismissively after a moment, but Hardison could see the pink tinge on his cheeks and neck and knew that his partner wasn’t nearly as unaffected as he pretended to be.

“In case we ever need to pretend to be famous actors?” Hardison shrugged, grinning at Parker who was rolling her eyes at Eliot.

Parker then launched herself at Eliot, almost tackling him with a hug. Hardison quickly rounded the table so he could join in too, the two of them smothering Eliot’s protests before he could air them. There was no-one else around so he could let his guard down and just appreciate the affection.

“Merry Christmas, babe.” Hardison tightened his grip briefly and pressed a kiss to Eliot’s cheek, finally prompting a softening of Eliot’s expression.

Hardison agreed heartily with Maiya’s sentiment – getting to spend Christmas with the two people he loved the most really was the best present ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, that's an Almost Paradise reference. XD


End file.
